ORDER MARSUPIALIA: MARSUPIALS 55 



terminal portion. Head and body, 303-318 mm.; tail, 207-232 mm.; 

 ear, 80-82 mm. (Troughton, 1932, pp. 227-228.) 



"It is possible that the Musgrave Ranges specimen recorded by 

 Finlayson [as lagotis] is an aged female of this race" (Troughton, 

 1932, p. 228) . 



Black-footed Bilby 



MACROTIS LAGOTIS NIGRIPES (Jones) 



Thalacomys nigripes Jones, Rec. S. Australian Mus., vol. 2, no. 3, p. 347, 

 figs. 358-360, 1923. ("Ooldea Soak," Trans-Australian Railway, South 

 Australia.) 



FIGS.: Jones, 1923o, p. 347, fig. 358, and 1924, p. 152, figs. 106, 107. 



"This animal is, so far, only known from the district round 

 Ooldea Soak, on the railway from Port Augusta to Perth. In that 

 district it appears to be by no means uncommon." (Jones, 1924, 

 p. 163.) 



Smaller than M. I. lagotis but much like it in general color; 

 distinguished from all other members of the genus by its black 

 feet; under parts pure white; black portion of tail shorter than 

 terminal white portion. Head and body, 365-390 mm.; tail, 200- 

 220 mm.; ear, 105-110 mm. (Jones, 1923a ; pp. 347-350.) 



The half-dozen known specimens were all collected by abo- 

 riginals (Jones, 1923a, p. 349) . 



"On the Nullarbor Plain, in the state of South Australia, occa- 

 sional holes would be met with, the animals numbering, in 1921, 

 about 21 to the square mile" (Le Souef and Burrell, 1926, p. 299). 

 Although these authors add that the form was probably sagitta, 

 there would seem to be equal or greater likelihood of its being 

 nigripes, since the type locality of the latter borders on the Null- 

 arbor Plain. 



Barcoo Bilby 



MACROTIS LAGOTIS SAGITTA (Thomas) 



Thalacomys sagitta Thomas, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 7, vol. 16, p. 426, 1905. 

 ("Killalpanima [= Killalpaninna], east of Lake Eyre," South Australia.) 



Although still considered "by no means uncommon" (Finlayson, 

 1935c, p. 233), this Bilby, like other members of the genus, is 

 probably seriously menaced by the predatory fox and the com- 

 peting rabbit. 



This is smaller than any subspecies except interjecta, and a 

 little paler than lagotis. Head and body, 316-385 mm.; tail, 215- 

 245 mm.; ear, 79-84 mm. (Thomas, 19056, p. 426; Troughton, 

 1932, p. 229; Finlayson, 1935c, pp. 234-236.) 



